Carly Whytcross Laser

Dermal Clinicians Day 2026

More than 15 years later, I think I appreciate this profession more than ever.

This year has been a big reminder of just how broad the role of a Dermal Clinician can be. From skin and laser treatments, to continuing to build my dermoscopy skills, exploring photobiomodulation and wound care, collaborating with doctors and other health professionals, and returning to Victoria University to teach and share what I have learnt.

For me, being a Dermal Clinician has never just been about using a device or performing a treatment.

It is about understanding skin, recognising when something is outside your scope, knowing when to refer, asking questions when something does not behave as expected, and working collaboratively to achieve the best outcome for the patient.

It is clinical judgement, curiosity, ongoing education and patient care.

I am incredibly proud to be part of a profession that continues to grow and contribute across skin health, clinical care, post procedure support, wound healing and multidisciplinary practice.

From student, to clinician, to educator, I am still learning, still asking questions and still very grateful to be part of this profession.

Happy Dermal Clinicians Day to my colleagues, mentors, educators and future clinicians 🤍

AustralianSocietyDermalClinicians

If you’ve got a raised lesion in your scalp, beard or another hair-bearing area, you’ll know how annoying it can be.

It can catch on a comb, snag when you’re washing your hair, or get in the way when you’re shaving or trimming.

Once appropriately assessed and confirmed as benign, selected lesions like this can be treated with k-laser.

Sometimes the biggest benefit isn’t cosmetic at all, it’s simply not having to work around it every day.

📍 Minyama, Sunshine Coast

A different side of laser therapy.

This chronic wound had been present for seven months before commencing photobiomodulation (PBM).

Following four PBM treatments over seven weeks, the wound had progressed to the point of visible closure.

Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of red and infrared light to interact with cellular processes involved in tissue repair and inflammation.

Unlike the laser treatments I use to remove benign skin lesions, PBM is non-ablative. The aim isn’t to remove or destroy tissue, but to support the body’s natural healing processes.

It’s an area of dermal practice I’m particularly passionate about, especially the opportunity to work alongside medical and allied health professionals in supporting patients with complex or slow-healing wounds.

PBM can be used as an adjunct to appropriate wound care and medical management, with treatment tailored to the individual and their clinical presentation.

And while every wound is different, it’s wonderful to see the progress that can be made when we look beyond traditional applications of laser therapy.

There’s so much more to dermal practice than aesthetics.

Collaboration is more than just referring someone out.

It’s about recognising when another practitioner has something valuable to contribute to your patient’s care, and understanding that you still have an important role to play.

This was one of the messages I wanted to share during my presentation at AustralianSocietyDermalClinicians SkinCON.

As Dermal Clinicians, we invest years into our education, developing our treatment skills, understanding the skin, keeping up with emerging evidence and technologies, and continually expanding our clinical knowledge.

We bring valuable expertise to patient care.

But clinical expertise isn’t just about knowing how to treat. It’s also about knowing when to pause, ask questions, seek further information or involve another practitioner.

Working alongside skin cancer doctors and other medical and allied health professionals has been such an important part of my own clinical practice and professional development.

It’s reinforced for me that collaboration isn’t about handing over responsibility or diminishing what we bring to the table.

It’s about recognising the value of different areas of expertise and bringing that knowledge together for the benefit of the patient.

We don’t need to do everything to make a meaningful contribution to someone’s care.

And knowing when to involve someone else doesn’t make us any less knowledgeable or capable. It’s part of being a thoughtful, responsible clinician and that’s something I think we should celebrate more.

Who’s part of your collaborative care network? I’d love to hear how working together has shaped your practice.

A wound that hadn’t healed in a month. Five days after photobiomodulation (PBM), a very different picture.

Wound healing isn’t always straightforward, particularly when circulation, inflammation or other underlying factors are slowing the process.

Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to support the body’s natural healing processes.

It’s a gentle, non-invasive treatment that may help:
-Support tissue repair and regeneration
-Modulate inflammation
-Improve comfort during healing
-Support recovery when healing has been delayed

This particular wound had remained open for approximately four weeks. Just five days after a single PBM session, we saw significant progress towards closure.

While every wound is different and results cannot be guaranteed, cases like this highlight the potential role of PBM as an adjunct to good wound care.

If you or someone you care for has a wound that isn’t progressing as expected, I’d love to help explore whether PBM may be appropriate as part of their care.

📍 Carly Whytcross Laser | Sunshine Coast

Beyond Aesthetics Workshop | SKINCON26

One of my favourite parts of SkinCon was bringing the K-Laser Blue Derma into the Sunday workshops and exploring the broader clinical role of laser within dermal practice.

From precision-based removal of benign skin lesions to photobiomodulation for wound healing, inflammation and post-procedural recovery, there is so much more to this technology than aesthetics alone.

My aim was to encourage clinicians to think beyond the traditional applications of laser and consider how we can use the technology we have, together with our clinical knowledge, to support different tissue presentations and patient needs.

Through practical cases and demonstrations, we explored not just what the K-Laser can do, but when, why and how it might be incorporated into clinical practice.

Because the technology is only part of the equation. Understanding the tissue, recognising clinical endpoints, selecting appropriate treatment parameters and knowing when to seek further investigation or collaborative input are just as important.

Working alongside medical practitioners and other health professionals allows us to broaden the ways we contribute to patient care, while remaining grounded in our scope and clinical responsibilities.

Thank you to everyone who joined the workshops, asked questions and contributed to the conversations. I loved sharing this space with you and hope it sparked a few new ideas to take back into your own practice.

If you have a little skin tag or benign lesion sitting right on the eyelid, you probably notice it far more than anyone else does.

It might catch when you’re applying makeup, feel annoying when you rub your eyes, or simply be one of those little things you see every time you look in the mirror.

Once appropriately assessed and confirmed as benign, selected eyelid lesions can be treated very precisely.

Small lesion, subtle result but often a very satisfying one for you when you’ve been living with it for a while.

📍 Minyama, Sunshine Coast

Still reflecting on such a brilliant weekend at SKINCON26. So many great conversations around collaboration, clinical practice and where our profession is heading, and I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute both on stage and in the Sunday workshops.

One of the most meaningful parts of the weekend was hearing how many people connected with the case I shared. A few people thanked me for being vulnerable and talking about the kind of case we don’t always tend to highlight..the one that doesn’t behave as expected.

One of the biggest lessons for me was this: a benign diagnosis isn’t permission to stop thinking. When something doesn’t behave the way you expect it to, question it.

That means knowing your expected endpoints, having strong review processes in place, staying clinically curious, and being willing to investigate further or involve others when needed.

The future of dermal practice isn’t about trying to do everything ourselves. It’s about knowing our scope deeply, recognising when someone needs something different, and building strong collaborative pathways around the patient.

I’m grateful the conversation resonated, and even more grateful that it opened up discussion around the cases we don’t always talk about.

Skin doesn’t exist in isolation. Stress, sleep, nutrition, hormones, medications, and gut health all play a role in the bigger picture of why your skin behaves the way it does.

Because every body—and every skin barrier—is unique, finding balance often requires a thoughtful, multi-faceted approach. As part of a personalized skin plan, FloraBiome can help support the skin-gut axis from within, working alongside healthy lifestyle habits to nourish and strengthen your skin foundation. New range available at the new clinic. Have questions about internal support for your skin journey? Drop a comment below or ask during your next consultation!